Driving while texting banned in California

People may not be happy with Governor Arnold Schwarzeneggar these days, but he can put one more notch on his belt when it comes to public safety. The Associated Press is reporting that the governor has signed into law a bill which would make it illegal for people to send or receive text messages while driving a motor vehicle. Coincidentally, it is believed that a train engineer, distracted by texting, failed to stop at a signal causing a fatal train wreck in California.

Those who can’t put down their thumbs and are caught texting will be fined US$20. A repeat offense will cost the perpetrator US$50. The law really didn’t affect any driver’s under the age of 18 because they are banned from using any electronic device while driving. The state has also had a hands-free requirement regarding cell phone use on the books for some time now.

Now that the state of California has made the roads safer by banning mobile phone use without a hands-free device and texting the natural question is what the next target will be. My personal opinion is that it should be driving while eating. I think that’s more dangerous then driving while using a cell phone without a hands-free device. Has a California legislator ever seen a man with a coke in one hand, a Big Mac in the other with fries between his legs make a left turn? Now that’s a safety issue.